South Africa: Friday marks a year since Oscar Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend

At the beginning of last year, Oscar Pistorius was a globally admired athlete, the first double-amputee to run at the world championships and the Olympics. That sparkling image dissolved on Feb. 14, 2013 — a year ago on Friday — when Pistorius fatally shot his girlfriend and was charged with murder and other firearm-related charges.

South Africa is gearing up for the trial of Pistorius, which starts March 3 in the capital, Pretoria. Prosecutors say 27-year-old Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine's Day after an argument; he says he shot Steenkamp by mistake believing she was a nighttime intruder in his bathroom.

Steenkamp's mother, June, plans to attend the trial. No members of Steenkamp's immediate family have attended any of Pistorius' previous court dates.